No Bake Energy Balls
Updated Oct 04, 2026
Make no-bake energy balls with oats, peanut butter, honey, coconut, flaxseed, and mini chocolate chips for an easy snack or quick breakfast.
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I make these energy balls because once I’m hungry, I’m not interested in making a snack. I want to open the fridge and eat something. So I mix oats, peanut butter, honey, flax, and mini chocolate chips, roll the whole batch at once, and keep them cold. This energy balls recipe takes about 15 minutes, and there’s no baking involved, which is probably why I’ve kept making it for so looong. My kids eat these peanut butter energy bites too, especially after school when I am in meetings and they don’t feel like making a snack.
Recipe testing notes
For the past 10 years, I’ve tested every recipe before sharing it with you! These notes give you a peek into the process of developing this energy balls recipe.
When I first started making energy bites, I could never get the mixture exactly the same from one batch to the next. Sometimes it would crumble while I was rolling it, and other times I’d be scraping half of it off my hands. It took me longer than it should have to realize the peanut butter was changing things depending on which jar I bought. I don’t worry about getting an exact texture anymore. If it’s sticky, I work in a little more oats. If it keeps breaking apart, I add more peanut butter.
And I’ve made these with rolled oats plenty of times over the years. They work, but the bites are noticeably chewier and I can feel the oats more when I eat them. I like quick oats better here because they blend into the peanut butter instead of feeling like a separate ingredient. That’s what I’ve been using for a long time now.
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Energy Balls Ingredients
- Oats: Quick oats hold everything together better than old-fashioned oats here and create a softer texture.
- Peanut butter: Creamy peanut butter mixes in the easiest. If you’re using natural peanut butter, stir it really well before measuring so the oil is fully incorporated. You can swap it with any nut butter, or even tahini or sunflower butter.
- Mix-ins: Ground flaxseed, unsweetened shredded coconut, mini chocolate chips, and honey help form the energy balls. You can substitute flaxseed with hemp seeds or chia seeds. Mini chocolate chips distribute more evenly than regular chocolate chips. Maple syrup or agave are good swaps for the honey.
How to Make Energy Balls
These photos show exactly how I make these energy bites at home. For the full ingredient list and complete instructions, scroll down to the recipe card below, or jump straight to the → No Bake Energy Balls Recipe
1. Mix the ingredients
Add everything to a large bowl and stir until the mixture is evenly combined. It should feel sticky enough to hold together but shouldn’t stick to your fingers.
2. Chill the mixture
Cover the bowl and refrigerate until the mixture firms up. This makes it much easier to scoop and roll into balls.
3. Scoop the mixture
Use a 1½-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the mixture into even pieces so they’re all about the same size.
4. Roll the energy balls
Roll each scoop between your hands until smooth. Enjoy them right away or store them in the fridge.
By far, the best energy bite recipe I have tried!! Love it!
– Kelley
Full Easy No Bake Energy Balls Recipe
Energy Balls Recipe No Bake
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup quick oats
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup shredded coconut
- ¼ cup ground flaxseed
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup honey
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients together in a large bowl and mix with a spoon or spatula until well incorporated.
- Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator to set for 30 minutes.
- Once chilled, remove from the fridge. Use a 1.5 tablespoon-size spring-loaded cookie scoop to scoop the mixture into 18 balls and roll with your hands.
- Enjoy immediately or refrigerate for 7-10 days.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Variations
- Mix in chopped nuts: Add ¼ cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans for more crunch.
- Add dried fruit: Replace the mini chocolate chips with ½ cup finely chopped raisins, dried cranberries, dates, or apricots.
- Increase the protein: Stir in 2 tablespoons vanilla protein powder. If the mixture seems dry, add 1–2 teaspoons more peanut butter or water.
- Mash in a banana: Add a quarter of a banana, or about 2–3 tablespoons, for natural sweetness and to help hold everything together.
Thank you for this recipe….these are so good that I can’t stop eating them 😋-Faye A
Recipe Tips
- Mix until no dry spots remain. Make sure the honey and peanut butter coat all of the oats before chilling so every bite holds together.
- Use a cookie scoop to form the balls. It keeps the energy balls the same size, which makes rolling quicker and gives you even portions.
- Wet your hands when rolling the energy balls. This makes forming the balls easier and helps add some moisture to the oats since we’re not cooking them.
Troubleshooting
The mixture is probably too dry or didn’t chill long enough. Different peanut butter brands vary in thickness, so add another tablespoon of peanut butter if needed and refrigerate the mixture before rolling.
It likely needs more time in the fridge. If it’s still sticky after chilling, stir in a tablespoon or two of quick oats until the mixture is easier to handle.
Comments
These are easy and very tasty. Will definitely keep this recipe and make it again. I didn’t use the coconut because I didn’t want to buy a whole bag for this small amount since I don’t really like it and wouldn’t have anything else to use it for. I just added a little more oatmeal to make up for leaving it out, and it turned out great.
I’m so glad you liked them and that they’ll be a repeat for you! Leaving out the coconut and adding a little extra oatmeal was a great swap, especially if coconut isn’t something you’d normally use. Happy to hear they still turned out great! Thanks for sharing!
These are a hit! My boyfriend, who does not like coconut, will eat several of these at a time. I used toasted coconut in the batch I made, which I think also helps to “hide” the coconut.
Love that, Wendy! Toasted coconut is a great idea!
Would you recommend sweetened or unsweetened coconut?
I like to use unsweetened flakes personally, but you can use sweetened flakes if you want the bites to be a little sweeter. Enjoy!
Thanks for the tips! This worked well. I accidentally used milk chocolate chips instead of semisweet, so they were too sweet for us. I will use semisweet chocolate chips next time!
Oh no!! I’ve done that before too. So glad you still liked the recipe, Amira!
Would this recipe work with almond butter instead of peanut butter?
Yes, absolutely!
Thank you!
These energy bites are delicious. They are super easy to make. My husband and I love them. My sister also started making these and her family loves them too. I really enjoy all of Yumna’s recipes!
Aww, thank you!! So happy you and everyone you’ve shared the recipe with love them!
Hi! I make these every week and absolutely love them. I’m trying to track my protein intake and make sure I’m getting enough – can you tell me the quantity related to the nutritional info? Is this per one energy ball, or two, or three? Thanks!
Great question, Emma! The nutrition info is for one energy ball.
Thanks!
I made the No Bake Energy Bites and they are delicious.
Amazing!! So happy you loved them!
This is an awesome recipe! My previous go-to recipe was a bit more complicated and didn’t stay together as well. My kids noticed the difference and really love these. I tripled the batch and subbed in half protein powder/half flax seed.
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